Vaulted Ceiling Lighting Ideas

Adding a bit of light to your vaulted ceiling can help highlight architectural details and make those dark corners a little less ominous. A popular feature in homes built in the 1980s, vaulted ceilings are high ceilings that often have multiple levels. Whether your ceiling comes to an old school peak or is squared off like a frame, a little light can go a long way.

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Vaulted ceilings almost beg for long lights. Unlike a homeowner with standard ceilings, those with vaulted ceilings don’t have to worry about hitting their heads on long fixtures. If your high ceiling is in a bedroom or living room, add a large hanging ceiling fan with a light fixture to cool you on those hot summer nights. If your kitchen or dining room ceiling sports the vaulted look, try jazzing the room up a bit with some long hanging pendant lights. Available in a variety of colors and styles, pendant lights help set the mood or provide task lighting for the dining room table or that kitchen work station.

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If you have the money for a larger remodeling project and you love the natural look, bring the natural outdoor light inside your home by adding at least one dormer or a couple of skylights. Covered by small, peaked roofs, dormer windows typically match other windows throughout the house. However, if you want to go a little wild, try installing a round or stained-glass window in your dormer to add some color. If watching the stars above is one of your favorite pastimes, install a series of skylights. Typically square or rectangular, skylights are now available in a number of shapes, sizes and other options.

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If you’re searching for some mellow lighting to brighten up the dark a bit, try adding recessed lighting fixtures to your vaulted ceiling. Called recessed lighting because the fixture is actually in the ceiling, recessed lights have long been a popular choice for the darker corners to which vaulted ceilings are prone, and you may already have a few installed. The farther away the light is from the place you want to brighten up, the more lights you need. For maximum effect, add a few more recessed lights around the edges of the room and the peak of the roof. If you’re adding recessed lighting to an area where the ceiling slopes, remember to use sloped recessed lighting canisters so the light fixture sits flush with the ceiling.